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New Jerseyís state Assembly has passed a bill to reverse earlier state restrictions on income requirements for its AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). The bill would restore eligibility to people with HIV whose incomes are five times the federal poverty level, or $55,150. The previous budget, signed last June, restricted the program to people whose incomes were three times the poverty level, or $32,490. The bill must still be signed by Governor Chris Christie before it can become law.

I'm sure its people like me that have preexisting conditions and have pharmacy cost approaching 50k a year . Its hard to live on whats left over .

That doesn't really apply to what I'm talking about. An annual income of 60k tends to bring about a job that has healthcare as one of its benefits. So my question is who are these people with that much income who are in need of ADAP to supply their meds?

Out of the top 25 highest-income counties in the entire country, three of them are in New Jersey. There are only 20 counties in that entire state. Overall the state is second in median household income. So, someone here can do the math about what 60K equals to in Louisiana dollars.

edit: a quick google shows the median income in Louisiana is $42,000 and $70,000 in New Jersey. ADAP income qualification levels, respectively, are then $32,670 and $55,150

Out of the top 25 highest-income counties in the entire country, three of them are in New Jersey. There are only 20 counties in that entire state. Overall the state is second in median household income. So, someone here can do the math about what 60K equals to in Louisiana dollars.

edit: a quick google shows the median income in Louisiana is $42,000 and $70,000 in New Jersey. ADAP income qualification levels, respectively, are then $32,670 and $55,150

You guys are a beating a dead horse and missing the point entirely. Are you attempting to tell me that due to differences in income that people who make over 30k a year are uninsured in New Jersey?

Are you attempting to tell me that due to differences in income that people who make over 30k a year are uninsured in New Jersey?

Sure, many small businesses don't offer any health insurance. Remind me what you do for a living and how large an operation it is you work for. That 55k job is a 30k job where you live, sorry if you see that as a dead horse. Does a 30k job in Louisiana in a business with five employees have health insurance? Also your $500/month rent is a $1000/mo rent in NJ, etc., etc.

Sure, many small businesses don't offer any health insurance. Remind me what you do for a living and how large an operation it is you work for. That 55k job is a 30k job where you live, sorry if you see that as a dead horse. Does a 30k job in Louisiana in a business with five employees have health insurance? Also your $500/month rent is a $1000/mo rent in NJ, etc., etc.

My only point is that one of the many reasons there is a healthcare crisis in this country is lack of insurance or access to care for many people despite what some would consider the well employed with a decent income . This issue has been a thorn in my side for the last 26 years , I have lived it . Not trying to argue , just cant understand why people think someone with a chronic medical condition lives by the same rules as healthy people , we don't .

My only point is that one of the many reasons there is a healthcare crisis in this country is lack of insurance or access to care for many people despite what some would consider the well employed with a decent income . This issue has been a thorn in my side for the last 26 years , I have lived it . Not trying to argue , just cant understand why people think someone with a chronic medical condition lives by the same rules as healthy people , we don't .

I'm all for universal healthcare which of course would make this entire conversation pointless. What I'm saying is I'm just wondering how much of this is political posturing. I would imagine very few people who actually need ADAP would fall into that income bracket. However I'm certain that there are some.

You pay $800/mo rent in NO? really? -- that's luxe for those environs isn't it? That's $220 more than what I pay in the expensive Northeast, so I guess I'm slumming (or rather living within my means) but you're vague with your inflows and outflows so we can only go so far in all of this.

I'm all for universal healthcare which of course would make this entire conversation pointless. What I'm saying is I'm just wondering how much of this is political posturing. I would imagine very few people who actually need ADAP would fall into that income bracket. However I'm certain that there are some.

I understand your question ... Even if the government put everybody on medicare tomorrow the current income limits would make it really hard for a family or an individual who makes 30k 40k and higher in some cases to get by with all the doughnut holes and co pays , doctor visits required to maintain your health . That's what so many people fail to grasp unless they have had to live with the limitations a chronic illness can have on low- mid income or uninsured people .

The system is not kind for us with disability's that aspire to have a better life .

You pay $800/mo rent in NO? really? -- that's luxe for those environs isn't it? That's $220 more than what I pay in the expensive Northeast, so I guess I'm slumming (or rather living within my means) but you're vague with your inflows and outflows so we can only go so far in all of this.

Actually I've always been shocked when I visit New Orleans at how VERY inexpensive it is. The cost of living is dramatically lower in Louisiana for a whole lot of things.

While Hellraiser is correct that health care coverage rates generally go up with pay levels, they never reach 100%; instead coverage rates top out at around 80%. And of course, population statistics can be very misleading when applied to personal circumstances.

(To put this on a personal level, one of our other forums members from NJ posted a few months back about the possible disruption to her wedding plans due to the ADAP dollar limits and how they would affect a couple versus two single individuals.)

The health care coverage by income rates are shown in Figure 6 -- coverage rates by state in figure 13. While medan incomes are quite diferent in NJ and Louisiana, the percentage of the population covered only differs by about 5%

Interestingly, Louisiana is also the only state where coverage rates have increased recently.

Only one state, Louisiana, experienced a statistically significant increase in the percentage of workers with coverage through their own job. The percentage of workers with coverage increased from an average of 47.8 percent during 2006−2008 to an average of 50.7 percent during 2007−2009. This was a 6 percent increase in the likelihood of having coverage through a workerís own job. Workers in three statesóNew York, Delaware, and Georgiaóexperienced a decline in the percentage with coverage through their own job. While the percentage of workers in Massachusetts with coverage from their own job increased from 54.8 percent to 56.5 percent, the change was not statistically significant

I live in New Jersey unfortunately, and I hope this answers your question. I got laid off in 2008 and started working from home as a graphic designer. I was doing really well. A year later my cobra ran out and I got health insurance (through the state) that only covered my drugs by 50% which means that I needed to get adap for my meds.

This past year, 2011 business has been very slow. I wanted to go out and get a job with benefits. I also wanted health coverage for my husband who has a serious case of Psoriatic arthritis...(married in 2010). Well, the state stopped accepting new applications for state insurance, because the program wasn't being funded. So basically, if I get a job and get laid off in 3 months (just happened to 2 designer friends) I'm screwed because I will have no insurance.

My husband and I have looked into insurance for our company, but it's hard because he's got a pre-existing condition. Also, I need one that has a good prescription coverage, and he needs one that focused on office visits and blood work etc. and the cost is unrealistic.

Also, we were looking to move, but unfortunately, all the states that we were looking at have adap waiting lists. I am sitting here in a heck of a quagmire and wonder what's next?

we were looking to move, but unfortunately, all the states that we were looking at have adap waiting lists.

I'm sorry that didn't work out; but I wanted to point out what a smart piece of planning that was. I've known several people to move without checking and they screwed themselves moving to states with a waiting list. The states individually administer medicaid programs, food stamps and ADAP, so different rules, requirements and amounts apply in each state. Sometimes moving is just no feasible.

The first paragraph really is the point. People that work from home and/or have a small business would fall under this umbrella. The rest of the post is me ranting!

Camms

You are someone in roughly the exact position I figured this legislation would screw over. Someone who is self employed or does contract work and makes pretty good money at it, but doesn't have some sort of group insurance due to their job. It's also a pretty good explanation of why Healthcare coverage through your job doesn't work out in my opinion. Sorry to hear about your situation Camille, I'm in a boat where I would like to return to school but cannot find a way to get my meds if I lose the insurance with my current job.

Mike- Hopefully, there will come a day when adap waiting lists will be a thing of the past. Then I can make my move to the beautiful south.

Hellraiser- That's too bad regarding your desire to go back to school, but hitting a brick wall with your meds. I know you probably considered this, but have you looked into part time or online. Some very good schools are now offering decent online coarses. However, I know the caveat with some online schools is a big price tag. I looked into getting my masters two summers ago at the Academy of Art in San Fran. By the time I finished, I would be 70 k in debt. OUCH!